1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with a retainer engaging with terminal metal fittings inserted to a connector housing so as to prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off.
2. Description of the Related Art
This kind of connector with a retainer has been known as a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-97097. The connector is provided with an outer housing and an inner housing fitted to each other, and is assembled by engaging terminal metal fittings so as to prevent it from falling off, by inserting the terminal metal fittings to terminal insertion holes in the inner housing, inserting a retainer (also called a side spacer) to a retainer insertion hole provided in a side portion of the inner housing and operating so as to move the retainer from a temporary engagement position to a main engagement position, and inserting and fixing the inner housing to the outer housing from the rear portion in the state mentioned above.
In this connector, when the retainer is at the temporary engagement position, a part of the retainer protrudes outward from the retainer insertion hole, thereby preventing the inner housing from being fitted to the outer housing. Accordingly, the structure is made such that the inner housing can be inserted into the outer housing only in a state that the retainer is moved to the regular engagement position, whereby it is possible to prevent the retainer from failing to be moved to the regular engagement position. Further, the structure is such that the retainer is not visible from the external portion by concealing the retainer insertion hole inside the outer housing.
In the connector mentioned above, it is not intended to move the retainer in a state of assembling the inner housing in the outer housing, so that it is impossible to cancel the state of engagement of the retainer according to some operation in a state of assembling the inner housing in the outer housing. In the case of forcibly performing such an operation, there can be considered to employ a method of inserting a jig into a hood so as to reach the retainer, however, since the retainer itself is arranged so as to hide backward in the terminal metal fittings, it is hard to simply move the jig to the temporary engagement position even if the jig can be inserted from the front side.
The present invention has been made with such points in view. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector with a retainer in which the retainer can be moved by a jig inserted from the hood side in a state of maintaining an assembling state of a connector housing.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a connector comprising: a connector housing having an abutment surface with which the front end surface of an opposing connector is brought into contact when being fitted to the opposing connector, at an inner back portion of the hood fitted to the opposing connector; terminal metal fittings which are inserted into terminal insertion holes in the connector housing from the rear portion; a retainer inserted in the inner portion of the connector housing at a rear position from the abutment surface and moved to a regular engagement position from a temporary engagement position so as to prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off rearward: and a projection extending forward from the abutment surface of the connector housing, the projection being provided in the retainer.
In this connector, it is possible to move the retainer inserted in the inner portion of the connector housing from the regular engagement position to the temporary engagement position by moving the projection using the front end of the jig inserted into the inner portion of the hood in the connector housing. Accordingly, it is possible to cancel the regular engagement of the retainer without completely canceling the assembled state of the connector, and it is possible to take out an optional terminal metal fitting. In this case, since the projection protrudes forward from the abutment surface with the opposing connector, a short jig is possible, and the retainer is easily moved.
Further, since the retainer can be moved between the temporary engagement position and the regular engagement position while substantially maintaining the assembled state or in a state that a substantial assembly is completed, it is possible that assembly is completed without the regular engagement of the retainer, in contrast to the cited art in which completion of assembly preceded by regular engagement of the retainer. However, in the connector according to the present invention, since the projection is at a position easily visible by taking a look inside the hood, it is possible to easily view whether the retainer is at a temporary or regular engagement position according to the position of the projection. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the terminal from falling off due to a regular engagement miss, and it is possible to secure a stable conductive performance.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein the connector housing comprises an outer housing and an inner housing inserted into the inner portion of the outer housing, the retainer is inserted into a retainer insertion hole formed in the inner housing, and the retainer insertion hole is concealed within the outer housing.
This connector comprises the inner housing assembled in the inner portion of the outer housing. When the inner housing is assembled in the inner portion of the outer housing, the retainer insertion hole is concealed from external view. Accordingly, in the case of this type of connector, once the outer housing and the inner housing are assembled, it is impossible to move the retainer through the retainer insertion hole later. Further, since the retainer is arranged at a position concealed in the rear of the terminal metal fittings, it is normally hard to move the retainer even when inserting the jig from the hood side.
However, in the connector according to the present invention, a projection protruding from the abutment surface of the connector housing is provided to the retainer. Accordingly, it is possible to move the retainer from the regular engagement position to the temporary engagement position by moving the projection using the jig inserted from the hood side. That is, it is possible to cancel the regular engagement of the retainer only by inserting the jig to the inner portion of the hood so that the state of assembly between the outer housing and the inner housing is not cancelled. Further, since the retainer insertion hole is concealed by the outer housing, there is an advantage in that the outer appearance is improved.
A third aspect of the present invention provides a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein the retainer is a side spacer inserted to the connector housing from a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal metal fittings so as to prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off, and the side spacer is provided with opening portions allowing the terminal metal fittings to pass when the side spacer is in a temporary engagement position and an engaging wall portion preventing the terminal metal fittings from displacing backward when the side spacer is in the regular engagement position.
In this connector, the side spacer corresponding to the retainer is inserted in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal metal fittings, and the engaging wall portion of the side spacer receives the terminal metal fittings so as to directly prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off when the side spacer is in the regular engagement position while the terminal metal fittings can be freely inserted and taken out when the side spacer is at the temporary engagement position. Accordingly, since the retainer directly receives the terminal metal fittings so as to prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off, it is possible to prevent the terminal metal fittings from falling off by a strong holding force.
Further, the direction parallel to the insertion direction of the terminal becomes the fitting direction of the opposing connector. However, since this direction and the moving direction of the side spacer have an opposite relationship, the side spacer does not move according to the fitting motion of the opposing connector, for example, the side spacer in the temporary engagement position does not erroneously move to the regular engagement position.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein the projection is interfered with the opposing connector to be fitted so as to prevent the opposing connector from being fitted to a normal position when the retainer is in the temporary engagement position, and the projection allows the opposing connector to be fitted to a normal position when the retainer is at the regular engagement position.
In this connector, when the retainer is at the temporary engagement position, the opposing connector is interfered with the projection and can not be fitted to the normal position. Accordingly, the opposing connector can not be fitted to the normal position, whereby it is possible to detect a regular engagement miss of the retainer and it is possible to prevent the terminal from falling off due to a regular engagement miss, so that it is possible to secure a stable conductive performance.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, a seal surface which a seal member sealing with respect to the opposing connector is adhered to and brought into contact with is provided in an opening side of an inner wall of the hood in such a manner as to be shifted from an inner wall surface of the hood.
In this connector, since the front end portion of the jig inserted into the inner portion of the hood is guided to the back portion of the hood along the inner wall of the hood, the front end portion of the jig is not in contact with the seal surface provided in such a manner as to be shifted from the inner wall surface of the hood, and it is possible to prevent the seal surface from being broken and the seal performance from being reduced.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the fifth aspect, wherein the seal surface is provided outside the inner wall surface of the hood, and a step portion is provided between the seal surface and the inner wall surface of the hood.
In this connector, the front end portion of the jig inserted in the inner portion of the hood is not in contact with the seal surface by being inserted to the back portion of the hood from the step portion. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the seal surface from being broken, the seal performance from being reduced and to obtain a stable waterproof performance.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein said connector housing comprises guiding ribs on its inner walls which guide jigs to move said retainer.
In this connector, the jig is guided through the guiding rib to be inserted to an accurate position.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the seventh aspect, wherein said connector housing further comprises side walls on either side of said ribs and said side walls are colored in contrast with the color of said guiding ribs.
In this connector, the guiding ribs are easily distinguished by color from the other portion, so that accurate jig insertion is made easier.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein said connector housing further comprises lances engaging said terminal metal fittings and insertion holes having tapered inner walls through which a jig is inserted to cancel the engagement.
In this connector, when the jig used for canceling the engagement abuts the inner wall of the insertion hole, the jig is guided by tapered inner wall to be inserted into the insertion hole.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector with a retainer according to the first aspect, wherein said connector housing further comprises lances engaged with said terminal metal fittings and insertion holes in which a jig is inserted to cancel the engagement, and a protrusion in which said insertion holes are provided projects from said abutment surface.
In this connector, an entrance of the insertion hole is located nearer to an aperture of the outer housing than the case of the former aspect.